[at-l] Re[2]: 2Comments&Book Suggestion

[tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us (Thomas McGinnis)]

     Yet another great post, Sonya.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: 2Comments&Book Suggestion
Author:  "Sonya Welter" <ws7670@mail.northland.edu> at ima
Date:    3/19/99 11:50 AM


> On 19/03/99 2:16, Roger Pelizzari, rpelizzari@boone.net, is reported to 
> have said:
> 
> >Kent's comment about enlightenment, that "It takes hard work to get
> >there," is only true if you don't practice meditation in its pure form. 
> >Without a technique, moving a boulder is difficult. There are millions 
> >of people practicing meditation that experience the path as easy and
> >effortless. They know thatphilosophy has little if any bearing on the 
> >experience of transcendence. However, until you experience
> >effortlessness you really can't believe it exists. Scientists, however, 
> >now believe in the
> >effects of meditation. There are over 600 independent studies
> >verifying the benefits for the individual as well as for the society as 
> >a whole. Large sociological studies have shown that crime, accidents,
> >and even armed conflicts can be significantly reduced by groups of
> >meditators practicing together. I'll stop there. It's probably too much 
> >already.
> 
> 
> OK, I'm a bit fed up with this guy.  Yes, it is too much.  This is a list 
> about HDT, and, while meditation may fit in some discussions on this list 
> (I practice meditation, as do some others on the list), it is not a place 
> for shameless evangelizing for TM (especially since it is a cult).  I 
> have warned you already, after one of your other posts.  
> 
> I am posting this publicly to get feedback from the other list members, 
> but I personally am very against this type of cult activity, especially 
> on a mailing list where it is not the subject.
> 
> Kirk
     
     
I didn't find his post offensive at all.  I didn't hink he was 
"shameless[ly]  evangelizing", and I saw no reference to any type of 
cult activity.  As far as veering off the subject of HDT,  I like it 
when we go off on tangents.   
     
(stop me if I've told this story before; it's a great little 
parable and I tend to use it a lot to illustrate this point.)  I used 
to visit a vegetarian message board.  It was a fairly busy board, and 
a nice little veg. community was starting to form.  Because the 
people there thought of the other poster as friends rather than just 
other vegetarians, they started posting about non-veg. related 
issues.  I remember one person posted about how she was having 
trouble quitting smoking, and someone else posted about bread 
machines, etc.; that sort of thing.  Anywho, the moderator of the 
board didn't like this; said it wasn't related to vegetarianism and 
insisted that we keep to the topic at hand.  Most of the posters 
didn't have a problem with the posts that weren't directly related 
vegetarianism, and a debate began between the posters and the 
moderator.  The debate ended when the moderator began deleting posts 
and banning certain individuals from the board.  After that a lot of 
people jumped ship and went to a more open-minded veg. board.  Most 
of the posts there are veg. related, but people are free to post 
about non-veg. issues too.  It's a much friendlier place, and there 
is a much stronger sense of community.
     
Now, I'm not comparing Kirk to the moderator at the first board, I'm 
just saying that there is more to vegetarians than tofu recipes, and 
there is more to Thoreauvians than Walden.  If someone wants to post 
about meditation, or whatever other topic they feel inspired to share 
with the group, I have no problem with it.  As it's been said, I can 
always use the 'delete' button.
     
     
Sonya
     
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"I return from one walk knowing where the killdeer 
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laurel blooms.  I return from the same walk a day 
later scarcely knowing my own name."
                  -----Annie Dillard
     
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